Switch operator



G. F'. RAUCH SWITCH OPERATOR Filed April 22 1924 Dec- 2 Sheets-Sheet lgmmtoa a "VT/VESSEIS' Dec. 22, 1925- 1,5 1

G. F. RAUCH I SWITCH OPERATOR Filed April 22. 19 2 Sheets-Sheet 2gwuntom 650452 7771706 M I abkrzmq Patented 22, 1925.

GEORGE F. IRAUGH, IPUI (YETATJTA, fii'OUTH DAKOTA.

S RETCH GEERATOR.

Application filed April 22,

To aZZ 10. 20922 2'! may concern.

Be it known that l. Grosor F. RAUCH, a C11 men of the United States,residing at Pukwana. in the county of Ernie and State or South Dakota,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch @perators,of which the following is a specification.

This invention appertains to a novel clock mechanism for automaticallyopening and closing a circuit at predetermined times, and the primaryobject of the invention is to provide a novel device of exceptionallydura ble and simple construction, which will require little or noattention for closing an electric circuit at predetermined intervals,for permitting the said electric circuit to be used for operating a timesignal, whistle, the like or for other purposes and for holding thecircuit closed a predetermined length of time, after which the. samewill be automatically re-opened.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an improved switchoperating mechanism embodying a spring operated wheel for actuating thesaidswitch, and means controlled by an ordinary clock mechanism forsetting the spring operated wheel into and out of operation.

A still further object of the invention is to provide novel means forautomatically operating a circuit closer and breaker a predeterminednumber of times a day, and for stopping the operation of the saidcircuit maker and breaker at certain stated. intervals, such as one daya week, so as to prevent the sounding of the time signals on Sundays orthe like.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in thenovel construction, arrangement and formation of parts, as will behereinafter more specifically described, claimed and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved switch operator showing theswitch lever in its open position, and

Figure 2 is a central vertical through the switch operator.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar referencecharacters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,the letter A generally indicates the improved switch operator and B theswitch.

The switch B canbe of any desired character and as shown embodies a post5 section 1924-. fierial N0. @8390.

formed of insulation or the like the opposite sides of which haveconnected thereto the wires 6 and 7, which form a part of an GiQC JilCcircuit. The wire 6 terminates in spaced relation to the wire and thesewires are provided with spaced contact arms or lugs 8 and Swhich le texposed, for a purpose, which will hereinafter more fully descri ied. Itis preferred to have the exposed contact arms 8 and 9 l aid directly ona piece of fibre 1.0 or some other suitable block of insulation, whichcan be imbedded in the post 5. The post 5 supports the outwardlyextending brackets 11 which carry a shaft 12 on which is operativelymounted at. a point intermediate its end the switch lever 13. The lowerend of the switch lever 13 has riveted or otherwise secured thereto ablock of insulation li, whiih in turn carries a bridge plate 15, whichis adapted to engage the contact arms 8 and 9 when the said lever ismoved to its operative closed position for permitting the closing of thecircuit of the wires 6 and A. spring 16 is utilized for normally urgingthe switch lever 13 toward the contact arms 8 and 9 so that when theswitch lever is free the contact or bridge plate 15 will normally be inengagement with the said contact arms 8 and 9. The switch lever 13 hasformed thereon or secured thereto the angularly extendingoperating arms16 and i7 tor a purpose, which will be hereinafter more fully described.The arm 17 has pivotally connected thereto as at 18 an angularlyextending operating foot 19 and this foot 19 is normally held in anoperative extended position relative to the arm 1.7 by means of aremovable pin 20 for a purpose, which will be hereinafter more fullydescribed. It can be seen that the arm 17 normally extends upward in avertical plane, while the arm 16 extends rearwardly and upwardly at anangle to the horizontal. The switch operator A comprises a clock frame25 which can be secured by means of straps 26 and 27 to the post 5. Theclock frame 25 includes any preferred type of clock mechanism 28 andthis mechanism is employed for operating the usual hour and minute handsunder a ial or clock face not shown in the drawings. Mounted as usualupon the minute hand post 29 of the clock mechanism 28 is the hoursleeve 30 which carries the hour hand and this hour hand sleeve makesone complete revolution in every twelve hours as in the usualconstrucshown the wheel 3% carries right-angular ly extruding operatinghis 35 which is ar ranged in the path of the root .9 carried by the armll" and is so arranged that the lug 35 will engage t e arm andpositively hold the lever 13 in such a position that the plate will notmove into engagement with the contacts 8 and 9 for a period oftwenty-four hours thereby insuring the fact that the cir-- cuit will notbe closed through the wires 6 and 7 one day a week, such as on Sundays.However, when it is desired to have the lever operate every day in theweek as will be hereinafter more fully described it is merely necessaryto remove the movable pin and drop the foot 19 out of the path of thelug I The time wheel is provided at equi-distance spaced points with aplurality of openings 36 and as shown this wheel is provided withtwenty-four of the openings corresponding to one opening for every hourof the night and day. These openings are adapted to receive pins forcausing the operation of the means for actuating the switch lever 13 andthere can be as many pins utilized as there is time that the circuit isto be desired to be closed during the day. As shown I employ four pins37 and I have these pins so arranged that the mechanism will be operatedsay at seven ocloelz, twelve ocloclr, one ocloclr. and sir; oclock, andthus it is evident that the circuit will be closed at these timespermitting a time signal or the ike to be sounded.

While I have used the pin 37 it is to be understood that cams can beused when desired to hold the circuit closed a relatively long length oftime. An operating arm 38 is pivoted as at 39 to the frame of the clockand the free end of this arm is disposed in the path of the pin and isadapted to be raised by the said pin. This arm is prevented from fallingdown below a predetermined point by suitable stirrup or the like l0secured to the clock frame. This lever 38 is provided with an inwardlyextending rightangularly disposed arm 41 which is arranged directlyunder atrip arm 4-2 which is rigidly secured to a shaft 43 rockablycarried by the frame 25 of the clock. This rockable shaft l-3is arrangedtransversely of the frame and is provided with an escapement arm 44which is which is mounted upon a rock shaft 51 carried by the frame 25and arranged below the rock shaft 43. This arm is provided with aright-angularly extending foot 52 which is arranged below and in thepath of the stop arm 4-2 so that when the said arm 50 is raised by thearm 41 of the lever 38 that the stop arm 42 will be raised, for apurpose, which will he hereinafter more fully described. This ifting arm50 is held in a predetermined position by means of depending legs 5 and5st which are adapted to engage certain portions of the clock mechanismfor limiting the swinging movement of the said intermediate arm 50.

The clock frame has associated therewith a. main shaft 55' which isadapted to be rotz ted by means of a main spring 56 similar to theordinary main spring of a clock and this shaft 55 is adapted to berotated by a clock key in order to permit the winding up of the springwhen the same runs down. This shaft has associated therewith and drivesthe main gear wheel 57 which in turn drives a shaft 58 arranged directlyabove the same. It can be seen that the gear teeth of the wheel 57 meshwith a pinion 59 secured to the said shaft 58. This shaft 58 has keyedthereto a relatively large gear wheel 60 which in turn drives a shaft 61to mesh with a gear 62 which is keyed thereto. This gear 62 carries anescapement wheel 63 wi h is secured to the shaft (3 and which operatesthe eseapement arm 4a. The shaft (31 has in turn secured thereto arelatively large 'car wheel 63 which drives a cross shaft tl'irough themedium of the gear 65 secured tic-reto. This shaft 6a through the mediumof the relatively large gear wheel 49 and the pinion ('36 drives the flywheel shaft (5'? which is provided ith any preferred type of fly wheel68. Now it is to be noted that the wheel 39 carries the stop pin 48 andis arranged in the path of the hooked end 4:7 of the holding arm d6 asheretobefore described.

In operation of the improved device the stop pins 3'? are placed at thedesired points on the time wheel 32 and the device is ready foroperation. It is to be noted however at this point that the trip arm 50is provided with an inner extending trip foot which is adapted to fit inone of a pair of notches 71 formed in the main wheel 57. These notches71 ae formed relatively deep and are disposed diametrically atoppositely dis- Elf) lit)

posed points of the said wheel 57. When the time wheel 32 has beenrotated in a coun ter clockwisedirection and one of the pins 37 lifts upthe lever 38 it is obvious that the arm 41 will raise the intermediatearm 50 which will in turn lift up the trip arm 42 and move the hookedend 7 0 thereof out of engagement with the notch 71 formed in theperiphery of the main drivewheel The lifting up of the trip arm 50 willrock the shaft 43 which in turn will move up the arm 46 and dispose thehooked end 47 thereof out of the path of the pin 38 carried by the wheel49. This will permit the operation of the shaft 55 under the influenceof the spring 56 which of course will actuate the main drive wheel 57and the train of gears operatively connected thereto. Now it is to benoted that the main drive wheel 57 is provided directly in advance ofeach slot 71 with an outwardly extending pin 72 which is disposeddirectly in the path of the switch arm 16. Now when the hooked end ofthe trip arm 42 is in one of the notches 71 one pin 72 is in engagementwith the arm 16 which normally holds the switch lever 13 in such aposition that the bridge plate 15 will be out of engagement with thecontacts 8 and 9, against the influence of the spring 16. It can be seenhowever that as soon as the wheel starts rotating that the pin 72 willride past the hooked arm 16 allowing the operation of the switch lever13 under the influence of the spring and that the bridge plate 15 willengage the contacts 8 and 9 thus permitting the circuit to be closedthrough the wires 6 and 7 which will allow the circuit to be used forthe desired purpose. The escapement wheel 45 is of course operated fromthe wheel 57 due to its connection in the train of gears operated fromsaid wheel 57 and the rotation of the escapement wheel 45 will actuatethe escapement arm 44 which will intermittently rock the shaft 43 andraise and lower the trip arm 42 permitting movement of the wheel 57tooth by tooth. Now when the wheel 57 has made one-half a revolution itis obvious that the slot or notch 71 diametrically opposite the firstmentioned slot will come into alignment with the end 70 of the trip arm42 and the spring 73 operatively connected with the rock shaft will urgethe said end 7 O of the trip arm 42 into the notch which will rock theshaft 43 a greater distance permitting the tooth 47 of the. arm 46 toagain move in the path of the pin 48 carried by the wheel 49 which willbring about the stopping of the said mechanism. Just at the time whenthe end 70 will ride into the other slot the pin 72 adjacent to the slotinto which the end 70 will ride will engage the switch arm 16 againrocking the foot lever moving the plate 15 away from the contacts 8 and9 thus opening the circuit.

In the present showing of the invention it is obvious that the circuitwill be closed four times during the day in view of the fact that Iemploy four pins, but it is obvious that the circuit can be closed asmany times as it is desired during the day.

When the device is to be used as a time signal for giving working peoplenotice of the time to come to work, the time for lunch and the time toquit, that it will not be desired to have the said time signal operateor Sunday when there will be no need for giving such signals. it is inthis instance when the trip 35 carried by the wheel 34 is utilized. Asthis wheel 34 makes one complete revolution every week and the trip .35is so positioned that the same will engage the trip 19 on Sunday thatthe said trip 35 operating in a crosswise movement will engage the arm19 and move the switch lever 13 further away from the contacts 8 and 9and the arm 16 away from the pins 72. Thus irrespective of the operationand movement of the wheel 57, the said switch lever 13 will not beactuated on Sunday and the said trip 35 will engage the foot- 19 forsubstantially a period of twenty-four hours. This foot 19 can be movedout of the path of the trip 35 when it is not desired to use said trip.

From the foregoing description, it can be seen that I have provided anovel mechanism of simple and durable construction for actuating acircuit closer automatically at predetermined times.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or thescope of this invention, but:

What I claim as" new is:

1. The combination with a switch including a pair of spaced contacts, ofa switch lever, of means for automatically operating the switch lever,comprising a spring operated wheel, pins carried by said wheel foroperating said switch lever, a trip lever, a time wheel operated fromsaid time mechanism, removable pins carried by said time wheel forengaging and operating said trip lever, and a trip arm disposed in thepath of and actuated by the trip lever for engaging said wheel fornormally holding the same against movement.

2. The combination with an electric switch including a pair of spacedcontacts, and a pivoted switch lever, spring means for normally urgingthe lever toward the contacts, a switch arm connected with said lever,of means for automatically operating the switch lever including a timemechanism and a spring operated wheel, pins carried by the wheeldisposed in the path of the switch arm for engaging the switch arm andfor holding the same against movement against the tension of said springmeans, whereby a the switch lever will be normally held out ofengagement with the said contacts, a trip lever, a time Wheeloperatively connected with and driven by the time mechanism, meansremovably carried by the time Wheel for raising the trip lever, theoperating Wheel having notches formed therein adjacent to said pins, anda trip arm having a tooth formed thereon for normally engaging in saidnotch, and means operated by said trip lever for raising said trip armupon move-v ment of said trip lever.

3. The combination With a switch including a pair of spaced contacts,and a pivoted trip lever, a pair of spaced switch arms formed on theswitch lever, of means for operating the switch including a timemechanism, a Wheel operated by the time mechanism and arranged to makeone complete revolution every twenty-four hours, spaced operating pinscarried by the time Wheel, a trip lever pivoted to the frame of the timemechanism and adapted to beraised by said pins, a spring actuatedoperating Wheel, pine carried by th operating Wheel for engaging theswitch arm for normally holding the switch. lever out of engagement withthe spaced contacts, means operated from the trip lever for engagingsaid operating Wheel for normally Dl'GVGlltlllg rotation thereof, andsecond t e Wheel operatively connect ed to the first mentioned timeWheel arranged to rotate one complete revolution every twenty-fourhours, and means carried by said second mentioned time Wheel forengaging the other switch arm for normally holding the first mentionedswitch arm from out of engagement With the pins carried by the operatingWheel for a predetermined length of time.

In testimony Whereof I aflix my signature.

GEORGE F. RAUCI'I.

